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Suddenly Nervous Dog

My family has a german shepherd, around two years old. Despite a lot of early socialisation he’s always had a tendency towards being slightly nervous, though this seemed to have been something he was trained out of (before he was one he’d bark at people who suddenly came up to him, or stuck their hand out, but nothing else).

However, he’s always gotten on with me as well as anyone else in the family. Yet a couple days ago, after I’d gotten back from a weekend away this had suddenly changed. He’s taken to being very nervous around me (not immediately after this, but within a day or two). Lightly growling (it almost sounds like complaining rather than ‘serious’ dominance growling or anything) when I pet him, though this soon stops. Constantly staring at me when I’m in the room, ignoring my instructions and extremely reticent to do anything other than sit still or leave the room, as well as numerous other signs of ‘fear’. And it’s just to me, no other members of the family.

This changes when he’s in the garden and I’m throwing balls for him/walking him and such where he goes back to completely fine.

Now I can’t think of anything I’ve done which would make him act like this around me, and certainly nothing new that he would have taken offence to. All this has left me fairly worried as it’s just such a dramatic shift in behaviour.

Leitner on April 2011

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I'm no expert on dogs, but when cats behave like this it's a good idea to get their sight and hearing checked (cats in particular can go completely blind and all their owners notice is "weird" behavior because they do pretty well relying on their other senses).

I considered this, but do that whole 'change my clothes' and bathing thing, so presumeably any smell would be long gone right? If not that could be a possibility I guess, because I stayed with someone who has a dog he hates, but it seems unlikely.

I hate to make generalizations but in my experience German Shepherds are a particularly emotional, sensitive breed of dog. They're bred to guard and that instinct can go a little haywire sometimes. Trying to figure out why he suddenly changed would be challenging so rather than that, it might be better to just go back a few steps in his training and start at that point. All of the steps that you took initially to make him a well socialized dog should be gone over again with you leading him through them. He's a young dog so extra attention and exercise certainly won't hurt anyway. Use a lot of positive reinforcement and stay calm and assertive and hopefully he'll return to normal.

I considered this, but do that whole 'change my clothes' and bathing thing, so presumeably any smell would be long gone right? If not that could be a possibility I guess, because I stayed with someone who has a dog he hates, but it seems unlikely.

Hard to say, but that sounds like it could have something to do with it, if there was in fact a dog where you were, and one yours doesn't like. Remember a dog's sense of smell is insane (this is some scientific shit right here). You might have changed your clothes and showered, but could the smell be on your shoes, on suitcases/items in your room/in your car then transferred to you? Lots of options. Hopefully that means it'll fade before long though.

is the dog getting enough exercise? a lot of dogs get anxious if they're not exercised a decent amount daily or semi-daily. Long walks are good, it helps their patrol their 'territory' and tires them out a little.

Unfortunately your dog is reaching social maturity, and nervousness and fear problems can get worse around this age. It may be, that from now on, anytime someone leaves for a while it will take the dog a long time to warm back up to them (like up to 6 months) you were just the first person to leave.

And it isn't particularly weird that he is more comfortable with you outside, that is fairly common in nervous dogs that they will be dramatically better either at home or away from home (varies by dog). My suggestion would be to spend as much time as possible with him outside where he is comfortable and leave him alone inside until he starts seeking out interaction.

Hi me 2year+ border collie within the last week refuses to go out on the field next to our house after dark daytime not a problem. he is excited as usual to go for his walk but as soon as I open the gate he freezes and takes some coaking but no way will he go the field
+ last November he was frightened by a fire work going off over his head it took several weeks before I could get him to go out at night BUT he would go if my neighbour and his dog r t he uld go no problem in the house he would be timid and a bang or fridgr door opening would send him to his corner heenually got away from all this.. he is very active and is with me all the time and gets 4 to 7 mile a day exercise but I can be playing wit him wen he will suddenly ato and tail between his legs head down and run of at would take ages to get him back and he would COWER DOWN as if I was going to harm him I have had him from apup 9 weeks old ita as if when we are out playing walking e is happy then something triggers and he is terrified of me tis sometimes happenes in the home
+ I am bewildered as to what it is that he is afraid f me.

Whenever an animal has a sudden disposition change, you should consider taking it to a vet to try and rule out any physical issues. When I was younger, our normally very friendly pet german shepard all of a sudden starting becoming very withdrawn and snappy. It persisted like this for nearly a month before we took her to a vet for her shots. It turned out she had shattered a back toe so badly that it had to be amputated (she wasn't limping or anything).